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Grand Gymnastic and Artistic Performance "Arirang" Given in Welcome of Hu Jintao

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

    Pyongyang, October 29 (KCNA) -- The grand gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang," Kim Il Sung Prize laureate, was given at the May Day Stadium Saturday in welcome of Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and president of the People's Republic of China, on an official goodwill visit to the DPRK. Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission (NDC), watched it together with Hu Jintao.
    As Kim Jong Il in company with Hu Jintao appeared on the platform of honor amid the playing of the welcome music, the whole audience and all the performers broke into cheers of "Hurrah!" shaking the stadium and it turned into a sea of flowers and dancers while its background presented the slogan "Warm welcome to Comrade Hu Jintao, the goodwill envoy of the Chinese people in the new century."
    Also taking the platform of honor were Wang Gang, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC who is also secretary of the Secretariat and director of the General Office of the C.C., CPC, Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, Li Zhaoxing, minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Huning, director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wu Donghe, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, Liu Hongcai, deputy head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, Liao Xiaoqi, vice-minister of Commerce, and Chen Shiju, director of the General Secretary's Office of the CPC Central Committee.
    Also seen on the platform of honor were Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Kim Il Chol, member of the NDC of the DPRK and minister of the People's Armed Forces, Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the C. C., the WPK, Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yang Gon, councilor of the NDC of the DPRK, Rim Kyong Man, minister of Foreign Trade, and Choe Jin Su, DPRK ambassador to China.
    Present there on invitation were other suite members of Hu Jintao, staff members of the Chinese embassy here, Chinese guests staying in the DPRK and Chinese students studying here.
    It was watched by leading officials of the party and power bodies, working people's organizations, ministries and national institutions, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media and working people in the city.
    "Arirang," a monumental masterpiece, made a successful grand epic representation of the heroic mettle of the army and the people in the DPRK who are dynamically speeding up the general advance of the Songun revolution for the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation and the country's reunification, exalting the dignity and honor of the country and the nation with the might of single-minded unity.
    The last part of the performance was the scene of friendship which represented the unshakable will and strong desire of the peoples of the DPRK and China to boost the traditional DPRK-China friendship generation after generation.
    Huge flags of the DPRK and China and letters such as "Friendship," "Glad to Meet You Grandpa Hu," "We Wish Socialist China Prosperity" and "May Eternally Memorable DPRK-China Friendship Be Evergreen" flashed on the background of the stadium in succession and performers in the national costumes of Korea and China presented Chinese folk dances and dances of friendship, making the fervent feelings of DPRK-China friendship prevail in the huge stadium.
    "Arirang" was highly acclaimed by the audience for its high ideological value and artistry and the refined gymnastic skill of its performers. As the performance came to an end, the whole audience and all the performers again broke into cheers of "Hurrah!" rocking the stadium and fireworks were displayed, beautifully decorating the nocturnal sky of the capital city.
    Kim Jong Il and Hu Jintao waved their hands high, warmly acknowledging the enthusiastic cheers of the performers and the audience.